Gratitude 12

Nightlight

Gratitude 11

Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.  

So in that fashion, I am thankful for flowers and bees.  I am sharing these photos to "show my appreciation."  

The yellow flowered goldenrod is such an interesting plant considering what most goldenrods look like.  Many have a very small flower amid a huge cluster.  It's a very pretty plant and has other attributes I appreciate, but the stiff leaved version has a special place in my heart.  The leaves are velvety soft and have rounded edges, unlike most other goldenrod genus.  And the flowers are huge.  Look at it compared to the bee.  The stamens are out so high it looks like little upside down fairy legs.  Words can't fully express the smile I get on my face when I find this plant.  

Stiff-leaved Goldenrod with bee

The pink turtlehead is another flower that I have enjoyed too much some might say.  The flowerheads are larger than a bee (unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the bees the day I took these photos as it was close to dusk and the bees tend to settle down somewhere warmer.  The turtlehead grow where the ground is damp and rather shaded.  The bees were up on higher ground settling in to sleep among the thistle flowers.)  During warm, sun infused visits to the turtlehead flowers I have witnessed the bees crawling into the flowers through the "lips" to get to the nectar.  When they go inside it's easy to hold the flower closed.  It usually takes the bees a moment to realized they can't get out and you can feel them buzzing.  The thrill of fear runs up your arm, you take a step back without releasing the flower and then let go.  The bee comes out quickly and flies to another flower.  The process starts all over again.  Now what really makes me giggle is while the bee is inside drinking nectar the flower "turtle head" appears to be eating the bee.  Silly, but the smile is genuine.  

Turtlehead

Gratitude 10

The date happens to be 10/11/12.  How great is it that people get a kick out of numbers?  I happen to be one of those folk.  I also like the metric system...all divisible by 10.  What a gift.

This happens to be my tenth posting.  It's the tenth month of the year.  (Now imagine me waving one arm in a big circle while I say, "Full circle.  Did you catch that?")

Gratitude 8 & 9

I chose sleep over writing last night.  Sometimes you just have to go to bed.

I love my bed.  Well, love is probably too big of an emotion for my bed, but I like it.  And, I have gratitude for my bed.  It's cushy, the sheets are smooth and the comforter keeps me warm.  It's calling my name.

I also have gratitude for my toddler who continues to make me laugh.  Today she asked me why it got cold.  I spoke of autumn, the changing seasons, and the sooner-than-later inevitable snow.  She made such a face of disgust (which was the beginning of funny because why would a toddler not like snow???  Does she truly remember playing in it last winter or is her memory based on photos that pop up on the computer's slideshow of her eating snow in great big bites, snowmen in the front yard, and snow blowing the driveway?)  So I enthusiastically asked her what do we do with snow?  "We EAT it!" she exclaimed; smiling with her eyes sparkling in anticipation of that first taste of the cold stuff.  (Ha.  I knew she liked snow.)   I asked her what else might we do with snow and she replied, "Throw it at people."

That's my girl.

Gratitude 7

Laughter, second hand stores, ice cubes, and furnaces.

Gratitude 4,5 and 6

I forgot to post for night four.  I couldn't get onto the blog last night and I am just missing Sunday by one minute.  Here we go!

 I will just make a list tonight because there is so much to feel gratitude toward.

The biggest one is my health and the second is community.  We spent the evening at a fundraiser for a friend and her family.  She was diagnosed with 4th stage lung cancer almost two years ago and the strength I have seen the whole family exhibit makes my heart grow.  And the outpouring of support tonight for this fabulous family makes me feel so good inside.

Although my friend's time here with us will be shorter than most of us thought she is living her life bigger and deeper than most.  Maybe that's cliche but I think it's true.  It probably is more often than we realize.  And who knows how much time we really have?  Does this mean I will be more thoughtful of my own time?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Maybe it's just the extra care for a moment that makes a difference.  

I am grateful for friends.  I am grateful for my body.  

Gratitude 3

I am thankful for my husband.